Alonso given green light to race in China

Fernando Alonso has been given the green light to re-enter the hotseat after passing FIA medical examinations prior to the opening session in China.

Alonso, who has been recovering from arguably the most horrific accident of the new 2016 season has reportedly been suffering from a multitude of post-crash symptoms including headaches and issues sleeping. Hardly surprising, although we suspect the true extent of the injuries, like most things in F1 are locked up in a cabinet in the McLaren and FIA Medical Room offices never to be seen by the general public or media again.

Meanwhile, McLaren Team Boss Ron Dennis has been pretty vociferous about his drivers ability to get back into the cockpit – some might argue even reckless. We’re not entirely sure what qualifies him or McLaren to deem whether their driver is ready to return to 200mph racing but it has certainly provided sensational entertainment and certainly throws into question his often manianic decision making processes.

The 34-year-old, who spent several nights in hospital after the horrific crash on race day in Australia insisted “the pain level is zero” in preparation for the Chinese GP. The crash, reported to have measured in the region of 30+G’s left Alonso remarkably unscathed on the outside, aside from a reported bandaged knee.

With Alonso admitting he was “lucky to be alive” after his car flipped and went into a terrifying roll at close to 200 mph (320 kmph) it left us thinking about the numbers. Experts have pinned his crash forces in the region of 30+G’s. The US military’s latest state-of-the-art weapon, the F-22 Raptor is predicted to push 9 G’s at it’s limits leaving us wondering what the hell Alonso must have been experiencing in his cockpit. If not complete black-out.

“In case of any abnormal symptoms the driver has been informed that he must stop his car immediately” – FIA

Despite the FIA medical ruling allowing him to head back out this weekend, he has been ordered by the FIA to pull over the minute he suspects anything abnormal is wrong.

Alonso’s horrific crash has renewed fears about driver safety amongst the F1 community despite the only death since Jules Bianchi’s tragic death in 2014 being Ayrton Senna in 1994, some 22 years ago. The ridiculous ‘halo’ bar proposals are continuing to be discussed, designed to further protect drivers from flying objects and crash impacts however experts have criticised the design as likely having hindered Alonso’s exit from his McLaren.

Our verdicts still out on the halo bar. It just seems like another step into the abyss for one of the world’s greatest, most dangerous and exhilarating sports.